Efficiency of Silver and Silica Nanoparticles to Control Trogoderma granarium Infesting Wheat Grains

Abstract

This study aimed to test the effect of silica and silver nano-particles (NPs) on the mortality rate of the adults of Trogoderma granarium Evert., one of the most common insect pests of stored grains worldwide. Different concentrations (100, 300 and 500 mg/kg) of SiO₂ and silver NPs were used. The results obtained showed that the highest mortality of SiO₂ NPs on adult beetles was 90.26% at a concentration of 500 mg/kg, whereas the lowest mortality rate was reached at 100 mg/kg (59.45%), 7 days after treatment. The results were comparable with those obtained by the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) treatment. The latter showed that the highest mortality rate was at the concentration of 500 mg/kg (63.63 %), and the lowest mortality rate was at the concentration of 100 mg (39.46%), 7 days after treatment. The accumulative mortality rate of SiO₂, 7 days after treatment was 38.16, 47.02 and 56.19%, compared to 27.67, 33.19 and 43.01% following AgNPs treatment, for the three concentrations, respectively. The results obtained showed that SiO₂ gave a higher accumulative mortality rate compared to AgNPs, and this result confirmed that AgNPs and SiO₂ are both effective in controlling the insect.

Keywords:

Nanotechnology, Trogoderma granarium, silver nanoparticles, AgNPs, nano-silica oxide SiO₂, biopesticide.